Display package kit



May 26, 1953 H. J. STERN DISPLAY PACKAGE KIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 17, 1949 INVENTOR. HERBERT J. STERN ATTORNEY May 26, 1953 H. J. STERN DISPLAY PACKAGE KIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1949 INVENTOR. HERBERT J- STERN BY W G X ATTORNEY m v wE Patented May 26, 1953 netba l SBFEYP KGEiK T Stern, New Rocnuefiv. 'Y., assignor a I. Stern & Co.,"Inc., New York; N. Y., a corpoon i i rk:

Application-September 17, isle, 'si iNSL'riKsGQ 1. This invention relates to'a display packagekit useful in handling the dis'trib'iitidxi' and sale-of merchandise such as-dental gold wire to the trade, R i x In the manufacture and sal of preciou-s metal wire, such as gold wire largely--u'sedin connection with dental restoration1 work-K-for"clasps, stress breakers, and other denture parts) there exists a need for' convenient handling means in respect to packaging; shipping/storing, dis-play: ing, identifying-and computing the. prices of given lengths of wireb- For example, ;one"'make of gold wire is sold in one-foot straight lengths, and the present invention proposes a simple :solution for the several handling: operations in: volved in merchandising it: The conventional methodor=current tech. nique involved in fillingan order for gold wire is to use a micrometer for vcheckingthe-sizes and cross sectional shapes of wires,.taken1from a particular stock lot, as called for by the order being filled; The particular :setw'of; wires finally selected as being correct for the order is then wei h T eieht f the e ectedrsetzqf wires is then multiplied-by tain the total pricei -Thi's;procedureisgepeeited for such other sets of wire types from separate stock lots as maybe; required ,.loy. the order. Thereupon, the severalproducts of the several selected sets of wires ,are addedQin ordergtoar rive at an invoice total. 7, it The foregoing conventional procedure in filling a gold wire order is time consuming, .clumsy and introduces the. possibility of error, particularly over the sales, counter where therelis need for promptness and accuracy'in behalf ofg a Waite ing customer. It is a problem not yet solved ,by the prior art for thebenefit. of this particular field.

This invention solves the"foregoingf distri-bu: tion and. sales problems by supplyingthe trade with a display case. or ikiticontain n in ivi w ally packaged one-foot :goldiwire 1en ths' in pre computed assorted 'sizes'and 'sha-pe's .1 Each; package is printed with the'essential'factors involved in its sale, particularlyiwith'fa legendidentifyging the gold alloy formula; as .welrasjthe unit price and the total price of the wire piece in each particular package; At.v 'th'efsales counter, the several packages" in th'ikitselected by a customer are pulled fromtheliit and 'placedvertically one overlappingthe other. .'Tlii'sl'in"es'up'iri columnar form the'se'verail printed t tal prices (irrespective 'orpifierene 'ii'n'it" eiifand provides for "f'qiii assertion to obtainatotal m t- Pr s -t9 9 Z'CIaim'S. (C l. 20645.11)

invoice {amount of .the several packages pulled from the kit for sale: 1;

tallaboratories; may desire to purchase in in dividual vpieces or--"a'ssorted lots "and provides convenient gstorage ,means for a-stock of gold wires;- Of, importance is the fact that this display kit makes it possible to-tell at a glance (take inventory)- what is the weight and value ,of the precious metal wire stock left on'hand after a sale, and-thus facilitates the re-ordering of-particular wire sizes and shapesby which to maintain arfull kit supplyi Accordingly, in implementing the foregoing improvements" for the distributionand sale of dentalj wire it; is "a purposeof this invention to provide displaypackages-each of which contains a; pieceof wire -which stack together in an orderly-lot within-a housing or casing, with such an arrangement inthe new combination of Q packages: and casing to provide a kit that the identity of each wire is shown in the stack, that any one-or more of the wire-packages 'may be withdrawn from-the stack forinspection-and sale without disarranging the other packages-in the kit, and that replacement packages of the wire" may be inserted readily without disturbing the orderly arrangementpi separate pack ages in said stack. Y

One satis factory structural example, chosen foidi'sclosingthe invention herein comprises a display card printedon' its upper margin with legends descriptive of the particular wire piece contained within -a tubular compartment or receptacle formed integrally along the lower .edge ofthacardf a supply of these compartmented display card-s being arranged in'combination and also carried'with aih'andy storage casing of foldable form holding a supplylot of separate packages in orderly displays, and;pre,-, computed price arrangement in kitkform, The present example of,.the invention has proven'to be a safe, accurate and: convenient means for handling I stocks of gold iwiresuat the factory and in dental ,supplyi stqr s, I t a i ,;The drawings v The accompanying drawings with description and claims explain -theinvention a preferred and embodied at this time for an understandjing of the problems'sou'ght to'be solved. Since the teachings herein may suggest "structural changesto'others'who-wish tdavail themselves of the benefits of the invention, it is pointed out that subsequent modifications hereof may well be the same in spirit and principle as this disclosure.

Sheet 1 of the original Patent Oflice drawings shows the kit of wire packages somewhat smaller than actual commercial size used for one-foot wire lengths. On the other hand, Figs. 4 and illustrate the package per se in actual size. And the remainder of the views are enlarged in order to bring out details not shown in the first five views.

Fig. 1 shows the storage function of the wire kit. It is folded into closed position, book-like in eral wire packages nested in stacked arrange-v ment on the inside flat surface of one of the fold-able kit panels, the elastic band (shown in Fig. 2) being omittedfor clarity in order to observe the display card portions of the packages standing outwardly from the compartment portions thereof. This view may be regarded as an end elevation of Fig, 2, just four of the wire packages being shown as a sufficient number to demonstrate how the compartmented cards stack one on and against the other in a tier within the kit of Figs. 1 and 2. v 1

I Fig. 4 shows the front side or face view of one of the wire packages withdrawn from the storage display kit, being the side having printed legends specifying the type, size, shape, weight and price computation of the wire piece in the package.

Fig. 5 shows the rear side or back view of the .wire package. This side may be printed with instructions and other data concerning the wire, manufacturers name, etc., these being omitted fromthe drawing for the sake of clarity.

Fig, 6 is a transverse section through the packon the line 6, while Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 7 through a front side view opening or window of the package, and Fig, 8 is a transverse section on the line 8 through a rear side view opening or window.

Fig. 9 shows an enlarged fragmentary detail of one of the wire packages. perspective, showing the closure flaps of the wire compartment in open position, with a stifi'ening form or reinforcing channel in the tubular compartment to maintain its shape. One end of a piece of dental wire is seen ready to be withdrawn for use by a dental mechanic, whereupon the empty package is discarded.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a fragment of the forming or'stiffening channel comprising av transparent plastic insert for the lengthwise compartment and acting not only to prevent the collapse and flattening of the long tubular compartment but also to impart stiffness to the long striplike display card made integrally with the compartment.

I The package In describing the invention in greater detail,

reference is first made to the construction of the package per se. It consists of a rectangular card- This is an end view in.

piece W.

board strip in the form of an elongated display card 2 having a wire container in the form of an elongated tubular compartment 3. The display card 2 has lengthwise parallel straight upper and lower edges, and the tubular compartment 3 is formed along the extreme lower edge of the display card.

In the present example of the package, its card portion 2 provides space on both sides for sales data or legends in the form of printed matter, while its container portion 3 receives a wire W (usually a one-foot straight length) alloyed from precious metal, as well as sized and shaped in cross section, to fill the needs of dentists, dental mechanics and laboratories in the production of denture restorations. The package is made of cardboard or hard paper stock and is discarded after the wire W is removed for use.

One or more closure flaps 4 of conventional type are provided at each end of the wire compartment 3 for opening and closing it. Two front side view openings, in the form of apertures or windows 5, may be provided through the front of the tubular compartment 3. Another view opening, also in the form of a window 8, may be provided through the rear of the compartment 3. These View openings 5 and B are illustrative, may be made to advantage in the positions shown, or otherwise placed, or varied in number, for the purpose of observing that the package portion 3 contains the wire W and in some instances several wires, if it is desired that they be packed in multiple.

The long tubular wire receptacle or compartment 3 is shown as being square in cross section, and this form thereof provides a flat. stacking ledge or shoulder l in the nature of a supporting step along the entire length of the upper surface of the compartment at the rear side of the display card strip 2. Inasmuch as the package is manufactured of paper stock, it follows that its tubular compartment 3 may flatten or collapse due to handling, thus losing the function of the fiat length stacking shoulder I set at right angles to the plane of the display card 2. v

In accordance with one principle of the invention, it is desirable to inaintain the original shape of the tubular compartment 3 in order that a large number of wire display packages may be stacked together in tiers and in parallel arrange ment, as in Figs. 2 and 3. The fiat ledge l, as a rest or a stacking ledge, is thus important. Ac-

-,cordingly, an insert 8 is made in the form of a channel or trough, that is U -shaped in cross section, and of a length approximating the :'wire The elongated stiffener or reinforcement member 8, adapted as a form for the compartment 3, is shown in perspective in Fig. 10. It is preferably made of transparent plastic and is slid into one end of the tubular compartment 3 to form and maintain the original straight-line and tubular shape thereof, here shown being square or rectangular in cross section, thus making the stacking ledge 7 positive or permanent. Actually, it may be'advisable to make the compartmented display cards 2 and 3 slightly longer than the one-foot measure of the gold wire W and the stiffener channel 8 (see left end of Fig. 5), in order that'the closure flaps 4 may readily tuck into the tubular compartment ends to close them.without interference with the end of the channel member. However, th'e'plastic stiffening channel 8 has aneasyjfit in thewire tube 3,

land. the: thiiredge otv the flaps 4-. readily i push into i place, K as .will be. understood; by, observing :Fig, 9. aiThewebpof the transparent plastic stiffener-8 extends. across the. yiew openings, say ;.the front zones 5, and the parallel, flanges. of the'stiffener channel are-contiguous to the .upperawallithe stacking shoulder ledge 1).. andilower wall of: the \wire compartment 3.- 5 Thus the wireyv, is readily :observed through the plastic windows 5 provided onthe front side ofthe compartmentedrdispla 1card package. -It. is. now ;understood howthe stiffener strip or channel 8 gives-body; and

strength to the package as a-- =whole, -.-by, maintaining the shape of the wire compartmentwt 5 and the cardZ in straight and flatform.

'-As an example of one character of legend which may be printed on the upper margin-of the display card 2, referencais made to Fig.;-l.

al s s a t e fir t e e r ftmrb pr nt ;on the display card as a legend-or symbol to indicate the gold] alloy formulation and-constitutency of the wire W contained in that particular package 2. Next, the legend ll- RD gauge may be employed to designate that the particu-.

lar wire sizeis l1 gauge and round in crosssection. Then note .that it weighs 2.40 dwt. (penny f weight) and that the unit cost is shown to beat the rate of $1.75 per dwt. The product of the weight and unit rate gives a total amount as shownby the legend AMT, $4.20- for the wire in the package. This is :e xemplary of onesatisfactoryplan employed for thepurposje ofp rice marking (pre-computing) the cost of the gold wire.

f Byfobserving- Fig. 2, itwill be'understo'od that a' supply of assorted wires W comprises .a considerable number of individual packages, and that they may contain a diiferent gold alloy formulatiomaswellas different weights of Wire;

its upper straight edge. An example of this'layout is. given. in the foregoing description and shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The structural features and legend markings of, the package have. been described forthe purpose of. enabling a manufacturer to carry .out lithe foregoing packagepreparation, and .thus

make it convenient fOI'pthG supply stores, lab,ora-

.. tories and dentists in. general, to make their purchases and re-orders in accordance with the printed legendson the wire packages. I

The foregoing describes the structure and utility of an individual wire package comprising its display card 2 and tubular compartment 3 which is adapted to receive and hold the wire piece W. By reference to Fig. 2, it is seen that a large number of these packages-containing assorted wire shapes and sizes as well as different valuesare used by the manufacturer in making up a complete dental wire display kit comprising the casing shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the package shown on sheet 2.

Incidentally, the single wire W shown in the drawings is a round wire, and only one size is illustrated, but it is representative of the diiferent cross sectional shapes as well as various sizes used by the trade. This point and others will be more fully appreciated as the description continues, especially in reference to the kit as a whole comprising a plurality of the card packages 2 carried in the casing.

f; The casihg comprisesa"set 'of -panl ilaps :10 10 forexample, two panels) pivoted on'each other, and this part number also indicates-the casingin sine; fhe e blame-segue size ndmade of fiat'thi n sheet material usually F igates-b a on Either or both panels; o f'c'ons titutes su port ror a nuinb'er ortne wire ka es. and the'two panels 'h'ave'a' book like function in'thei ening andclosing actiong backbone pi in" the 'form' o'f an elongated inge plate izgse ves te jointhe two panels" "--HJ in relatively foldable 'relation.=""Theconven- "tion'a'l' fabric covering envelopes 'the two pariels I0 and also the hinge plate 12, thus providinga neat overall housing finishfi The pliable fabric "covering" arse constitutes ahinge or folding means wherefth'e two panels 101cm the parallel edges of 'th 'hinge plate 1'2. :11

- 0neend-fiange' I3 is provided in any suitable manner at theend-of on'e'pan'el l0, thereby leaving open the otherend and the front side ofthat panel. -'For example} the" panel l 0 having the "single end flange'l3 happensrto. bezthe panel standing in upright position in Fig. 2: The other panel I 0 is provided with a similar end flange I4 'but' at the end ofth'e. casing which is opposite the firstflange [3, Thus'thertwo panels lrllc-havei oppositely disposed end flanges ['3 and. I'd so placed that when at closed positions (Fig. '1'), both ends of the casing are shutby. its" two end flangesiand thus securely retain the stack-of wire-packages: 2

40 in place/:

Further} one of the'panels' l0 ismade witha front edge flange l5, one end: of which may join with -the end flange I4. on that panel. Thus one ofthe paneIs'IO'hastWo" flanges l4 and l5,uthe other an end flange I3, and -all together thethree flanges-on two-panels provide a completev enclosure at both ends and at the front edg s. of theclosed casing ID. "The depths'of thethree :fia'nges and of the hingeplatgllare all' eq ual, in order that'the two book-likepan'els (wheni'closed) lie parallel-with each other. If 1 I Next, it is observed (Figs 2) that a pair 'of elasticbands. l6 isiprovided 'on the inner surface of each'panel .10, the casing asa whole'b'eing '55 equipped with" four elastic-bands arranged in pairs.- These resilient tensioning bands:::.| 6. are :disposedgon :andwtransverselyto the' 'lengthwise axis of the foldable panels and packages 2 carried thereon. Each band end is folded back upon itself in semi-loop manner and is permanently fastened in any suitable way to the inner surface of the panel.

Accordingly, the cross runs of the bands I6 are elastically free and convenient for manipulation in their tensioning and light compressive action across the stack of packages 2. The respective pairs of resilient bands snugly embrace the tiers of packages stacked shoulder to shoulder (the ledge 1) and hold them in orderly parallel rela- 7 tion.

The elastic bands l6, while maintaining the packages 2 in stacked form, at the same time afford suflicient give or relaxation of tension as to enable one to readily use his fingers to stretch one or more bands, thereby easing the band compression and making it convenient to withdraw one or more packages from the stack or replace them therein. It is seen that the extremities of the packages abut and stop against the casing end flanges I3 and 14 at opposite ends of the panels l0. Hence the packages of the two respective panels are withdrawn and replacement packages inserted in oppositely moving directions and also in a direction parallel with the front side flange I5 without disturbing the other packages in the stack. i

According to the foregoing-especially the de-i scription in the previous topic concerning the marking legends on Fig. 4-it is now clear that any number of wire packages 2 may be withdrawn from the casing lb of the wire kit and placed in alignment one above the other. In other words, the salesman lines up in columnar form the several amounts (one being $4.20 in Fig. 4)

and thereupon makes a total of the several precomputed prices of the different characteristic :gold wires.

It is believed clear how the invention serves to expedite transactions involving, any number of gold wires selected package by package by a cusmay vary to a considerable extent.

This disclosure explains the principles of the invention and the best mode contemplated in ap- 8 the kit is open, the tubular compartments resting against each other and forming a-said stack of packages on each panel, with the sales-data cards partially overlapping one another, but the upper margin of each said card being exposed to View;

and a tensioning band means mounted on each :invention from others; and there is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed the part, improvement or combination, which constitutes the invention or discovery, as understood by a comparison thereof with the prior art.

This invention is presented to, fill a need for a new and useful display package kit. Various modifications in construction, mode of operations, use and method, may and often do occur to others, especially so after acquaintance with an invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that this disclosure is exemplary of the principles herein and embraces equivalent constructions.

What is claimed is:

l. A display package kit comprising, in combination, a casing having a pair of foldable panels, pivoted on a'hinge plate, which open and close onto each other to provide a said casing of fiat form; and a plurality of elongated packages, each one having a sales-data card defined by upper and lower lengthwise parallel edges, with a tubular compartment on and along the lower lengthwise edge of each card and adapted to hold merchandise for sale the elongated packages being horizontally stacked within the casing, on each panel thereof, and hence on display when panel, transversely of the elongated packages, embracing and holding them in each said stack; and a flange on one end of ach panel, at opposite ends thereof, said flanges being disposed transversely of the length of the packages and having a depth at least asgreat as the combined thickness of the two stacks, said flanges covering both ends of the casing and hence both ends of the stacks when said casing isclosed, but-exposing one end of each panel and hencezoneend of each stack when said casing is open, by which any one or more packages may be withdrawn from each stack out through thezexposed end thereof without disturbing the other packages in said stacks.

2. A display package kit as defined in claim 1, but having a third flange on the front side of one of the panels, by which said three flanges enclose both ends as well as the front side of the flat casing when said two panels are folded into closed position, and by which the opposite ends of the two panels are open when the'casing is in open position; and therebyadapting one or more of the elongated packages stacked on" either p'anel, when the casing is'open, to be withdrawn from or replaced in its stack, by movement along one direction from one panel and along an opposite direction from the other panel, both movements being parallel to the third flange, and thus withdrawn from or replaced within the embrace of the tensioning band means wi out disturbing the other packages in said stack.

HERBERT J. STERN.

References Cited in the fileof this patent" UNITED STATES PATENTS 

